New Guide will help Event Organisers go Greener

The ‘Sustainable Event Commitment’ aims to help anyone organising an outdoor event to minimise the negative impact it may have on our environment.

By signing up, organisers can commit to a number of eco-friendly action points, running across six categories. These include sustainable travel, managing waste and recycling, using local suppliers and encouraging reusable items  .

Anyone who signs up must then pledge to ensure their event meets at least six of the sustainability action points. Bronze, silver and gold accreditation awards will be made to events that meet the criteria, enabling organisers to show how sustainable their event is.

The categories encourage event organisers to consider introducing a wide range of greener initiatives. Other ideas for sustainability include using lower energy power sources, booking caterers who cook with sustainable or Fairtrade food and planting trees at the event site to offset carbon emissions.

Alan Larsen, who is organising a Medieval Festival event in Argents Mead this summer for Hinckley High Street Heritage Action Zone, has already signed up to the scheme.  Alan explained:

“The Event Commitment guidance provided some great ideas that have been really useful for helping me to ensure this event has a positive impact on the environment. So, at year’s Medieval Festival, there will be recycling bins available for visitors to use, we’ll be using local food suppliers and offering free water refills to those who bring along their own drinks containers. We’ll also be using reusable publicity materials. I’d encourage everyone organising an outdoor event to take a look at the guidance and consider how they can make some small changes to their event that will help minimise any negative impacts on the environment.”

To request the Sustainable Event Commitment Guidance, visit here.